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Avonex (interferon beta-1a), the drug most prescribed for people suffering from relapsing multiple sclerosis

Institution:

Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, the University at Buffalo

Researchers:

Lawrence Jacobs, MD, University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences School of Medicine professor of neurology

Impact:

Jacobs’ research showed that early treatment of multiple sclerosis with interferon beta-1a significantly reduced the rate of progression and impact of the disease, which often includes brain and nerve damage.

Timeline:

As early as 1981, Jacobs’ research showed results. In 2000, the New England Journal of Medicine published the results of a large-scale study led by Jacobs that described the benefits of beta-1a interferon in treating multiple sclerosis. The impact of this study prompted the Harvard Health Letter to name Jacobs’ research as one of the 10 leading health advances for 2000.